


Take it With a Grain of Salt

by LunchboxBanshee



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon compliant until it isn't whoops, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Development, Ghosts, I guess it's going there anyway, I’m not joking, Lousy Japanese grammar, Multi, Naruto sees ghosts, No Bashing, Slow Burn, Sorry Not Sorry, Team 7 - Freeform, Updates around every one to two months, Uzushio, Yeah its team seven but fuck they all have new skill sets, everyones cool af
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2018-12-11 04:16:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11706624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunchboxBanshee/pseuds/LunchboxBanshee
Summary: Naruto sees ghosts, it escalates from there.





	1. Sasuke sleeps with his eyes open.

 

Sakumo is side eyeing a Naruto again with _that_ look. The older man is weird like that, looking sated and projecting the warmth of proud parent. It could only mean one thing; Sakumo knows something he doesn't. Of course Naruto could just ask Sakumo, who had made a point for them to have no secrets between each other. _'_ _You need people you can really count on and trust Naruto, it's just one of those things ninja don't like to say out loud.'_ Sakumo had said, and so far, the advice had held up.

Unfortunately there is no fun in having the solution given to you in this dilemma, so Naruto just talked happily with the Shinobi under his breath letting his annoyance fester below the surface.

Hatake Sakumo reaches down to ruffle his hair and the sensation feels more like a crisp winter breeze then the tousle it is. It doesn't bother Naruto, he always runs a few degrees above a normal, healthy human body temperature. There's too much raw chakra in his body for it not to affect his natural body temperature. Then again Naruto is also used to the presence of ghosts.

Naruto had been seeing ghosts for as long as he can remember, they had just alway been there as natural as the overgrown groves around the village. Just like humans each spirit is different because like in life every persons chakra is different, denser or more dialuted, bright or clouded over. Most ghosts are ninjas thanks the standard training that builds up natural chakra reserves, which is really when comes down to it, what ghosts are. As everyone knows chakra (memories and spiritual energy gathered throughout ones life) is not visible the human eye. Normal eyes anyway, the Hyūga could pick something up. That's what some deceased man named Hizashi had helpfully commented while wondering out loud if Naruto had some kind on mutated dojutsu.  
When a person first dies their ghost is faint, the residual form transparent and several degrees below zero. Naruto avoided the hospital where he could to avoid the chills they caused. The reasons for this are that most individual’s chakra simply dissolves into natural chakra post death, this occurrence is common with low chakra reserves or undeveloped coils. Natural chakra makes up nature such as plants and animals and dissolves back in the earth like flesh turns to dirt. Some humans however leave behind an echo or place holder of kinds which may take form depending on personality, sometimes even linage or elemental affinities. As the echoes age they either become more clear as scattered memories and excess chakra accumulate or they fade away like the average civilian’s imprint.

The first ghost Naruto can remember seeing was a somewhat short, fair skinned woman with a smooth face, wide, passionate grey eyes, and red hair the color of a rising sun. She seemed like she should have been animated or loud, but she was still and soft in her mannerisms. Muted, and freshly dead. Naruto was young, two or three maybe, and he didn't understand why there was a strange woman by his bed or why his arms and legs were covered in frost that spread from her form. She brushed his cheek and the small touch felt like he was drowning under a thousand oceans and started crying tears of seawater. But he was the boy who cried wolf during day, a outspoken Naruto was a normal one and the caretakers went back to sleep. Fat tears rolled down whiskered engraved cheeks in choking silence. Quickly the woman looked horrified at his fear and tried to say something but no sound came out of her mouth which open and closed a few times in shock. Her glowing shadow flickered then faded into the darkness of the autumn night.

  
It wasn't the last time he saw the woman, she's looking at him through the academy window with a smile right now making ecstatic hand gestures. Naruto runs warm but the frost of the dead will never leave his skin now (it sits silvery and frozen in a feathered crawl on his arms legs and it's been there for 10 years).  
  
Uzumaki Kushina.

His own mother. Her image is still glassy yet it's gotten more vivid over the years. It's a sign she's starting to get her memories back, more than just the urge to sing half the lyrics of a song and watch Naruto grow from a distance. She always hums a lullaby under her breath, it's terribly familiar yet the tune is foreign compared to the traditional fire country song most clans have passed down.

  
Uzumaki Mito ( whose outline is like that of a breathing person, whose hues are as bright as his mother’s will be one day) tells him it's a folk song from the whirlpool village.

\---

* * *

 

_“That sounds like heaven Mito-baa-chan!”_

_Mito looked at the small boy by her feet. “It was heaven Naruto-kun.” She said kindly._

_“Really?” A six year old a Naruto gasped in evident disbelief._

_  
“Yes, I have little doubts that Uzushiokure is the closest thing to heaven for people like us. You and I don't belong in a forest were betrayal is around every corner, but for now it is our home. Naruto, we must make do with what we have.”_

_“Do you think I'll go to Uzushio one day?”_

_With an amused look his way Mito replied “Knowing you Naruto-kun, yes.”_

_The duo continued stroll deeper into the forest until their silhouettes vanished into the shadows and only a warm salt crested breeze twined in their wake._

_…_

_A young Ino frowned in confusion at the deer trail in the forest that had been caked in  
sodium, shame her father’s crocuses got caught in the white anomaly._

\---

Naruto shook his head and shifted his focus to the doorway for the seventh time this day. The Academy's tacky smell of old woodwork and sweat insulted his nose and several seats away Sakura was pacing, vibrating with frustration. After her failed attempts of wooing Sasuke that afternoon failed she had started drawing chakra diagrams on the board, Sasuke seemed abnormally still and it took Naruto a minute or two to realize he fell asleep with his eyes open (seriously what the hell, there's no way that's healthy). The window Kushina had been peering through a second ago was fogged up from the temperature difference but nobody was there now. His mother was never good at sitting still so he guessed she went back to stare forlornly at his father’s face plaster on the monument. They would both walk together on the top of his head in the mornings and Naruto would chat with her nonstop until the pink bled from the sky.

An hour later Sakura had moved on from diagrams to plotting revenge against Ino for something, and with three going on four neatly written paragraphs it probably meant bad news for the Yamanaka heir. With Sasuke dead asleep and Sakura intimately engrossed with the chalk board Naruto felt it was safe to play hide and seek with Sakumo.  
‘Hide and seek’ wasn't really an appropriate name because that implied that the game was fun, while in reality it was a training system Naruto had to use to practice intense awareness of his surroundings. The fall of an eyelash, the sound of a gliding dustbunny, a half degree change in temperature, all of these he was expected to notice with a blindfold over his eyes as he searched for Sakumo. “Damn bastard-“ and so Sakumo got cussed out as Naruto jammed his knee into a desk on accident. Suddenly his posture straightened and he leaned towards the wall. Reaching a hand out he pressed it against the plaster and confirmed his suspicions and abruptly punched the surface hard. “Sakumo I thought we agreed you couldn't hide in the walls!” He yelled somehow no bothering either of the other occupants in the room. No one noticed the purposefully loud footsteps down the hall.

\---

When the Jounin walked in the room he was greeted by the sight of one of his three Genin lost to the world with his eyes still wide open the only indicator of sleep was a slow heart rate, the second Genin a theoretically pleasant girl if academy reports were to be believed, seemed to be on the seventh paragraph of a elaborate revenge plot judging by the hyper realistic chakra charts, and the final child was screaming at the wall gesturing at his knee while wearing a blindfold. Did he miss something?

“I was thinking of asking you to meet up at the rooftop but since I have firm reason to believe you are all terribly and utterly incompetent we can just talk here.”

\---

Immediately Naruto thought he recognized the man’s voice and after he took of his blindfold the first thing he saw a barley noticeable shape of some girl’s ghost trailing through the room, on her cheeks were purple stripes of paint highlighting chocolatey brown doe eyes..

He blanched. That was Rin.

Rin only followed one man around, _Hatake Kakashi_.

Sakumo waved at Rin from his place half out of the wall and the two struck up a conversation while Naruto planned ways of avoid his new teacher. Kakashi was a fantastic shinobi but he refused to stop letting his past take hold of the world around him. Through Kakashi's eyes the world was a morbid construct of professionalism so bleak and monotonous that the man dallied where he pleased until pressured since he had nothing to look forward to, the rare times the man saw new color in his life it was saturated with regrets of his family and team’s deaths. Naruto just didn't have interest in being someone's ghost, he wasn't Obito or some warped version of Minato. This team was going to be their own team and hopefully they could pound that fact into their teacher's head someday.

“Now, why don't we go around and say some things about ourselves?”

‘ _Well isn't that original_.’ Thought Naruto.  
“What should we tell you? We can't give you the right information if you don't tell us what you want to hear. Actually, maybe you can demonstrate?” Let it be said Sakura’s voice dripped with sugar. It was sweet but granulated and without a doubt grating over even a brief period of time. Naruto noted the purposeful and very skillfully done execution.  
“You want a demonstration smart mouth? _Okay_. My name is Hatake Kakashi, I despise teaching and I have likes but unfortunately I seem to be fated to remain near my dislikes. Any hobbies I have are too mature for children like you, and nothing makes me happy hence my lack of dreams or motivation.” The man sent a cheery expression their way but it felt like the room got set on fire. Sakumo looked depressed and Naruto tried to send a sympathetic expression his way. Kakashi's psych wasn't in a good place he supposed. Rin patted his shoulder absently while watching stoically.

“Okay _Sensei_. My name is Haruno Sakura, I enjoy reading, I greatly enjoy punctuality and hate obnoxious men. I had a different dream a minute ago but now I want to surpass _someone_.” Was she trying to get them all killed? Where the hell did her timid persona vanish off to? ‘ _Scary_.’ Though Naruto weakly. Sakura couldn't see it but Rin gave her a thumbs up, and probably Kami herself laughed at the scene.

There was pathetic silence until finally Kakashi realized no one else was going to speak without prompt and lamely gestured at Sasuke.  
“You have our files already and you don't seem trustworthy enough for me to give you anymore information about myself than you currently possess.” Blunt and possibly cocky, it was hard to tell for sure with the monotonous tone. His facial features didn't give anything away either with dark grey eyes remaining calmly half lidded and dull, his hands that had supported his chin during the nap also served to cover his mouth now. There were not even micro expressions so Naruto had to rely on getting good reading on people like Sasuke (Kakashi, other experienced shinobi, etc.) through his empath abilities inherited from Kuruma. It wasn't even a intentional skill but subtly Naruto sensed or took in the emotional state of those around him, the best guess his sensitivity to hormones.

‘ _If this team wasn't dead before it's dead now.’_

Not skipping a beat Naruto finally said something.  
“Ah, I'm Naruto I guess? I like salty foods and the sky, I train amongst other stuff. My goal is invent to new ninjutsu, thats realistic right?” Okay maybe those weren't the most realistic things that defined him but hey, it was close enough. The other two children looked at him unimpressed by the lackluster introduction. To his defense Rin was giving the Jounin bunny ears using her fingers, it didn't help his focus.  
“Okay, I'm not inspired in the slightest. At 5:00 A.M sharp you will meet me at the training grounds for a important survival test to evaluate if you are worthy of the Genin title. I recommend you avoid breakfast, we wouldn't want you to get ill.” All of this was articulated painfully slowly. One minute he was there then in a turn of a leaf he vanished leaving the three Genin behind.

"Ano Sakura-chan, did Kakashi say which training ground to meet at?" He questioned hopefully. Fists shaking and teeth clenched together Sakura ground out, " **No** , **no** he did not Naruto-kun." She didn't even scold him for a lack of honorific. Their other teammate had already vaulted out of a window sometime during their quick conversation leaving them with each other. For once Sakura and Naruto walked peacefully out of the Ninja Academy with one another and in that moment Naruto quickly decided he liked the spiteful (real) side of Sakura when it wasn't dirrected at him. 

\---

“Well Naruto-kun, I think it's the start of a _beautiful_ apprenticeship.” In response Naruto glared at Mito went back to trimming his faithful houseplant sullenly.


	2. The insomniac Street Vendors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tallest outlook, the dingiest crevice, the dampest foothold. It was far from glorious but what it lacked in functionality it made up for in creative placement. At least he got breakfast out of this...

It's two A.M in the damn morning when Naruto is awoken from a pleasant enough sleep, it was light but Karuma didn't grumble at him in his dreams for once. ‘ **I don't grumble.** ’ ( _Oh, but he does._ ) The decent from sleep however was, startling. The summer morning hung bleak and disgustingly humid, during his sleep Naruto's blankets had tangled at his feet. Before anything the heat roused the Uzumaki at least somewhat and then finally to ice the metaphorical cake some little phantom had the nerve to float right through him. Naruto shot up immediately feeling like someone had ripped out his innards and forced the viscera into a bucket of ice water. “ _Shit_ …” he wheezed and fell off his bed with out reform. “What the hell man?” He hoarsely questioned the misty shape that had carelessly trespassed into his house from the wood floor. It was a small boy around seven years old who wore a disapproving look on his face better than many adults did. His unkept hair was a dark, dark grey and his two eyes were like tiny specs of charcoal on the face of a snowman, all in all the look reminded him of Shuishui or Sasuke. ‘ _Most likely an Uchiha, I'd know that hair color anywhere._ ’ He deduced as if it wasn't obviously from the child’s fan shaped crest carefully hand sewn to the back of his outdated clothing. Whatever his name was the boy uselessly held Naruto's groggy stare before backing down and mumbling a terse “ ** _Sorry_.** ”

Instead of readily accepting the apologies he simply asked “What's your name?”, and when the boy answered “Uchiha Ai.” he may have fist pumped. Ai looked embarrassed at this point and courteously offered to help Naruto up seemly forgetting he wasn't composed of tangible mass. Getting up Naruto thanked him anyway. He had things to do before he went on Kakashi's bastardized goose chase. Knowing Sakumo’s son he wouldn't even be there until noon. Key word probably. Shrugging on half off his usual orange outfit over his typical mesh and black pants he beelined to the door. Naruto easily slid it open taking care not to puncture the delicate paper that lined it. The last time he had ripped the paper ( _washi_ is what Mito called it) he had to swipe a generous amount from a merchant after spending hours looking for a vendor, of course he did leave the money. It had meant dipping into his savings but the entrance had looked nicer than ever and sometimes when Naruto had spare time he would cut fun shapes out of the excess washi and put it on the doors so the cutouts showed up when sunlight filtered through.

Naruto was halfway out the door before he realized he forgot his kunai and other ninja supplies. He quickly righted the wrong and was about to leave again when he remembered his uninvited guest.

“Ai we’re going to get breakfast.” It was an order and Ai looked at him with curiosity. Truth be told Naruto got the feeling the child was lonely and he had no problems with sharing his morning routine with someone new.

“Okay.” and with that the ghoulish kid and the odd preteen took off into the early morning.

~~~

The first stop they made shocked and offended Ai. It was a gambling den hidden away in a more unsavory section of Konoha, it took ten minutes of prying but eventually Ai relented walked in with Naruto. At the back of an alley a well maintained building looking completely out of place. Obviously, it was supported by a generous community of drunks and addicts. Ignoring the faint smell of opium, they opened the door. In the entrance they both saw a middle aged man with white steaks peppering his dark hair, at his side were several well groomed young women looking equal parts pleased and disheartened to be there. The man was dressed in an expensive purple kimono embroidered with red thread in the shape of cranes and mountains. When his brown eyes found Naruto they gleamed and after shushing the brunette closest to him he addressed Naruto,“Naruto-san are you looking for Anko-chan again?” Naruto raised his hands in defense then let out of place innocent child act give way.

“You know me too well Hiromasa.” The owner smirked good naturedly and waved one of his harem to let Naruto into a lavishly decorated lounge.

He and the owner had a understanding, Naruto was the exception to the no kid allowed rule for a reason.

“You little shit how the hell do you do it?!” Complained Anko.

Naruto pocketed his winnings (15,000 yen and a nearly unused bra that Anko gave him as a I.O.U) and sent a smug grin her way, “It's just luck Anko-nee-chan.~” Out of pure muscle memory he dodged the dango sticks thrown at him with a lethal amount of force.  
“You’re getting me ten sticks of dango for that Anko or I let this whole pastime slip to Ibiki-san.” He threatens without malice. The woman in question smiles at him harshly, “You know you’d be ratting yourself out too right Naruto?” To this Naruto feigned shock, “I have an excuse, you don't. This is how I get food while paying for nice and shiny ninja tools.” This was actually completely true, at a young age Naruto had figured out that he had unbeatable luck in gambling (if Harashima, who was really loose about formality for a _kage_ , had something to do with it that was besides the point). When he needed money or a quick meal he made a habit of getting someone else to purchase it indirect or not. Sakumo said it was just him being cheap because he had thousands of yen saved up and Mito called frugal which was probably because she had been a victim of her husbands hilarious gambling addiction. The way Naruto saw it, it was effective since he couldn't take D-rank missions yet to earn money himself. Out of the corner of his eye Naruto spotted Ai looking on with a intrigued glint in his eyes.

It made sense in a way that such a sleazy buissness would fascinate him, most Uchiha grew up in the compound. Children were sheltered from such things for most of their juvenile life. They would learn the clan standard techniques and proper mannerisms. Even as specters most Uchiha rarely wandered into town without a clear purpose. Such a life sounded miserable to Naruto but Ai seemed to be brought up pretty well. Maybe his parents were responsible for that.

“Hey gaki, stop spacing out you'll get killed that way and I might just be the culprit.”

He looked up at her slightly frustrated that she was taller than him, “I'm not spaced out and you wouldn't touch a precious hair on my head.” Ai continued watching not sure who he hoped won the debate. Honestly the woman was ridiculous sometimes, only the emotional whiplash and hyperactivity gave him the confidence to snark at her despite her status in society.

“One might think you were distracted by my assets.” An amused laugh answered the taunt.

He spared her breasts a glance, they were large and perky as ever. Did she not care about support though? He contemplated giving her bra back to her then decided against it. He valued the I.O.U way more. It was her fault if she got back pains, who knows it might even teach her a valuable lesson. “As nice those are Anko-chan I’d like the food you owe me more.” Naruto said brightly.

Huffing the kunoichi scruffed him roughly by the back of his neck and shushined him to a  
insomniac street vendor. Ai too must have got caught in it and now sat cross legged on the ground watching dazed as Anko forced six skewers of dango down the blond’s throat. Naruto after somehow surviving the assault, mentioned that this stall had good food which seemed to pacify the special Jounin as she sped away with a bounce in her step. Someone was probably going to get neutered this morning. Pity.

“Ahh~ that tasted really good but I'm still hungry… Ai let's go to Ichiraku’s!” Naruto suggested after licking his fingers clean. The tiny Uchiha wondered about his new friend’s metabolism but complied anyway. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.Together they duo walked through the village ignoring the way the crowds parted fearfully for one of them.

~~~

A large bowl sat in front of him steaming like a delicious hot spring. It was filled only centimeters away from the porcelain brim with salty miso broth. Little puddles of oil drifted shamelessly across the surface clumping around masterfully roasted port coated with chives, chili strings, and a rainbow of spices. Rather proudly there stood a piece of pressed seaweed and several crab legs at the edge. “Jiji this might be the most perfect thing you've ever made.” Naruto said tearfully because truthfully there is nothing more perfect then a four A.M bowl of ramen. “You say that every time you eat here, don't wear the compliment out.” The elder Ichiraku complained. “But it's truuuee.” The genin whined from over his piping bowl of noodles. Ichiraku didn't respond but he wordlessly set down an extra side of pork.

Mysteriously, the ramen stand was a 24 hour venue, no one knew how the family duo did it. Apparently Ayame was out shopping right now. For several minutes everybody sat in silence in the glow of the stall’s lantern. Even in the flickering light you could make out roughly carved kanjis ninjas and villagers alike how gouged in the vanished wood over the years. It was an unspoken tradition for couples to knife their names here and two names were undoubtedly familiar. Of course Kushina would be the one to do it, it was her favorite fast food venue. The writing was bold but as meticulously neat as Minato’s, sealing could do that to a person. You mess up a single fucking kanji then ‘Boom’ the seal blows up in your face. He speaks from experience. Naruto's parents left these little traces of themselves all over the village and Naruto loved every one: _a rusty kuntai with two too many points and a faded seal on it, strands of long red hair book marking his place in a worn book he had never not had, a empty apartment with cabinets overfilled with dusty cooking wear, and two names on a the memorial stone_. Heh, Kakashi liked to waste time at that stone a lot. It was around training ground seven if he remembered right… _Training Ground Seven_.

Well that's one question answered, the morning just got much less stressful.

“So Ai, what was your family like?” At this the child twitched in surprise obviously not expecting to be addressed at that moment in time. He must had been zonce out out longer than he realized.  
“…My father was a chunin named Mariko Roka, he was a kind man that didn't really standout in the crowd, the only notable skill he had was a stronger than average water affinity. My mother was strange, her name was Uchiha Chiasa and I think she was a Jounin. She was more… assertive despite her parents urging her otherwise and she must have found the clan confining because she was out in town as much as possible. Mother never liked the formality of the clan either or the attitude it took in with citizen relations. She meant my father on a simple mission and after rendering her standard marriage contract void she married him. Roka took the family name without complaint and despite initial disapproval by the elders it went smoothly. I was born and we all kind of just lived peacefully until…”

“The massacre?” Twin drops of soot widened. “How do you know about tha!- oh because you can talk to… _Oh_.” The Genin across from him smiled gentle and warm at Ai, and held up two fingers to Teuchi. Five minutes later two more bowls of well made ramen were slid to Naruto. After sliding one bowl to Ai, who looked at him like he was stupid, he began downing his second bowl with vigor. “Why did you give this to me?” the boy questioned. The blond squawked in mock outrage.

“Just because you're dead doesn't mean you can't appreciate the godly aroma Ai-chan, plus consider it my thanks for putting up with Anko for even thirty-five minutes.” Naruto spoke. “Thanks Naruto-kun, but I still can't eat this.” The sound of slurping noodles got louder. Uchiha Ai looked down at his fresh bowl of ramen and for the first time in years he thinks he might have seen his reflection, he closes his eyes and smiles hard enough to reach his cheeks.

~~~

Naruto watches the sunrise with his mother and it's everything he wanted it to be. It gives him that sense of family he doesn't always have with the living, with Iruka-sensei or the Hokage while he sits next to her. It blazing hot and cold enough to turn your blood to an icey slush all at once. She snickers at the two figures they spot in the distance. The view is all green, Naruto thinks it should be much bluer but he does not say a word. You can't tell the color of their skin or hair from the height of the Hokage mountain but at this time of day the new morning reflects on a shiny chunk of marble with thousands of names and tears etched on its surface. The resulting beam of light catches the clouds and according to his mother ‘ _Shikaku must be throughly enjoying the spectacle_ ’. When Naruto grins at their private joke it's all sharp teeth and blackish gums, _like a fox’s smile_. Kushina’s joyful smile is no prettier and just as wide, and the laughing of two beautiful predators echoes eerily for miles never quite sounding human.

“You really shouldn't keep your teammates waiting, it won't make a good impression.”

“You don't have tell me twice, the takeout’s getting cold anyhow.”

~~~

He was such a good teammate, Sakura and Sasuke would probably the kiss the ground he walked when he arrived. Or lite it on fire, it depended on how tired they really were. If they had actually skipped meals, which was either a test or legitimate advice (Naruto just wasn't willing to sacrifice breakfast to find out), they would probably want the extra ramen he brought. 

It was seven thirty-two A.M sharp when he arrived at the theoretical location Kakashi had chosen. Sakura was half asleep on the ground and Sasuke was asleep, but then again maybe not because of his weird habit. After little hesitation he conked a head of baby pink hair together with a head of poorly maintained bangs. Get it, bangs? Sakura yelped surprised and then blushed at the proximity to the kid she ‘fancied’, Sasuke shot him a gaze coated with something close to loathing.  
“BREAKFAST TIME!” He shouted purposefully loud, hoping that wherever his new teacher was he could hear Naruto’s statement. This time Sakura skimmed his scarred cheek with a weak uppercut that would have most likely given him a headache at most had hit him. Sasuke opened his mouth, “ _Idiot_ , he told us not to eat anything before the evaluation.” Blue and Green eyes just looked at the Uchiha passively. “Ne, ne I don't remember him saying anything like that, do you Sakura-chan?” The girls eye brows raised a bit at the flowery address but she went along with out of pure dislike of Kakashi. “Hmm, me neither. It must have slipped our minds, oh well.”

The beef ramen was snatched out of Naruto hands and boy Sakura must have had one of her nervous nights were she felt to sick to eat anything and covered it up as a diet. Ghosts talk about a lot of strange things or maybe he was spying. It was a 50/50 chance of either.

In the time it took for Rin to hail the arrival of the big bad Inu Naruto argued over the taste of vegetables and the best ramen flavor with Sakura who invented the phrase “Don't mock the stock.” And found out how the hell she had made her way here. Unsurprisingly most ninjas around thirty or so years old knew about Hatake Kakashi's weird behavior relating to the memorial and despite the Haruno family being registered citizens they were both retired Chūnin. Sasuke looked like he was going to insult her for a minute until Naruto prodded at how he found the ground. Sasuke had found it after looking at literally every field _except_ seven, no process of elimination just a sheer battle of the wills. It was a eventful morning for them all.

And now, this.

“Let me get this straight, you not only had food but didn't even _attempt_ to cover up the evidence despite my explicit words not to ingest anything before this scheduled activity.”

“Ano, I forgot that detail?” Kakashi’s ominous aura got stronger. “Naruto a ninja can't just _forget_ commands from a superior.” He paused and Sakura interrupted what he was going to say, “Technically it was a recommendation.” Kakashi was tempted then and there to introduce her to Gai. “No other snappy remarks? Good. This assessment is dead serious, as I'm sure you all knew you aren't really Genin. We need to weed out bad eggs, so here's how it's going to be. I have two bells and three lame children, only one bell per child. Sasuke since you haven't spoken yet why don't you do the math.” Naruto squinted bemusedly at Kakashi, and Sasuke replied in a distantly winded voice. “ _Only two pass._ ”

“Bingo! The loser gets tied to a post for the day while the children who obtained a bell get free lunch and my Unconditional love. There's one last catch, you have to get the bells from off my person. Good luck, the test begins now!~” the three children were already gone and all Kakashi could think was ‘ _ **Rude**_.’

~~~

Sakura was pertched at the top of the tallest tree she could find not so discreetly envisioning her inner self giving her teacher the _metaphorical_ bird, Sasuke had covered his scent with mud and was crouched in the hollow of a stump bordering the grass clearing plotting, and Naruto was hanging upside down on the bridge directly behind Kakashi counting how many minnows were in the clear water. It was almost therapeutic if not for the crippling threat of failure tearing at their frayed and sleepless minds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are now heading in a clear direction! You'll get your spicy fight scene soon. This is just the beginning of something mediocre! Or great I guess, what ever suites your fancy. <3


	3. Somethings Ring with Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It takes only a few grams of silver, but everything is different.

One, two, three, four, four minnows. Naruto felt kind of cheated, ‘ _Not even a frog’_. Annoyingly enough there were more important things at the minute, like trying to grind a certain dog summoner's face into the dirt. One on one probably wouldn't bode in his favor, Kakashi had laser focus and would pick him off easily. Naruto shrugged and made a note in his head to find a sparring partner. He knew several katas but lacked muscle memory and experience to use them, to rephrase, to say he sucked at hand to hand combat was a slight understatement. For all the bad reputation some clans got for being secretive of techniques they were very loose lipped after their death.  
‘ _Kakashi has quick reflexes but he doesn't know the skill of his opponents so if one of us manages to surprise him we might have a window to go for the bells._ ' Sakura probably had some thread of a plan and she was almost as efficient with _Kawarimi_  as Naruto was, so going with his gut instinct he used a ram sign to form a single shadow clone. The clone manifested underneath the surface of the river purposefully and without smoke in order to avoid getting sighted by Kakashi he _Kamarimied_ with his clone just fast enough to leave but a ripple on flowing fresh water and began to swim down stream. Naruto wasn't sensitive to chakra thanks to the sheer volume of the energy he carried in him but rather extremely in tune to people's emotions; it made him a natural sensor so he had little trouble following the beacon of frothy rage that was Sakura. Fifty meters down the stream he surfaced again and quickly took to the trees with the skins of his palm being repeatedly scraped raw by the branches, it felt exciting. Rushing down chakra to his hands and feet he took to the limbs of a tall tree and climbed up with a practiced ease that all Konoha citizens, ninja and civilian had. Green eyes turned around to stare at him and she whispered hurriedly “How did you find me!?”

“Your beauty guided me Sakura-chan,” she shot him a warning look fists visibly balling, “Well, between finding some of your hairs and how angry you were it wasn't too hard. I'm just that awesome!” He held up a few long vivid pink hairs that lit up in the sun with little difficulty. “Speaking of which, Sakura do want me to put that up in a bun for you or something?” He said.

“If it means it won't get caught in the trees again then yes, but I'm not cutting it.” The young kunoichi says. Deft tan hands plucked a few dead leaves out of her mop of pink hair and pulled it together tightly before he wound it together. “I wasn't going to ask you to cut it. Any ninja worth their kunai has the skill to fight and live with long hair. It's like a medal- tie please.” She dug around in her weapons pouch and pulled out a old red ribbon in excellent condition despite its age, it had obviously not been worn in a while since it still smelled like scented shampoo ( _which the academy quickly graduated the kids out of by warning them that the smell was used by trackers_ ) and timidly handed it to naruto. It wasn't hard to tell the fabric held some sentiment to her. Easily enough he bound the tight clump of hair together with it then took the unused forehead protector and tied it around her head. “Now you look like a true kunoichi.”

His flattery left her speechless for a few seconds. Looking back on it she'd never thought of herself as a ninja until now, ‘ _How can he call you a warrior when your best trait is knowledge?_ ’ a passionate voice shouts from inside her, she pushes the quip  away. “So why are we meeting up, this is theoretically a everyman for himself situation.” She spelled it out for him. “Yeah exactly, _theoretically_.” Naruto reiterated as if it was obvious. “The way I see it is this; We know that Iruka was up all night forming those teams, he had those terrible eye bags remember? Which means lots of time and resources go into sloping Genin together, it would make no sense to divide us up like this. Most importantly the second fact, Kakashi likes to screw around with us.”

“Those are actually really good points Naruto-” “What do you mean _actual_ -” “I bet you we’re supposed to pass as a team.” Naruto nodded then abruptly stood stiff before slouching. “He's not going to want to cooperate is he…?”

“Kakashi-sensei or Sasuke-kun?”

“Well, I mean both of them are not really team players, but I was talking about Sasuke.” Sakura regarded Naruto for a second before nodding, she looked like she wanted to protest but thought better of it in the last moment. “We have to find Sasuke first but I bet the more we move, the higher chance Kakashi will notice us. We need a distraction, am I wrong in assuming you would want to do the honors?” “Depending on how distracting, yes. We either go ass deep or not at all, it's part of my contract!” He gave her a charming salute. “Just do it, and make sure it's really chaotic.” A few hand signs later another seven shadow clones perched on the tree. One immediately _Henged_ into Iruka and Naruto looking scarily smug, pasted an explosive note under the standard flak jacket, patting a long since nameless red crest on the jackets shoulder, before wandering off. “Let's go.” Sakura hummed in a antsy response.

~*~*~

“I don't think we can do this anymore, you have no idea what you're getting into!” “Please try and make us work, I love you, I just want to protect you!” The man placed a heavy hand on the woman's unblemished neck and…

Wow. things were really heating up in this chapter, Kakashi was more than ready for a ‘make up’ scene, waiting for three hopeless Genin could take a lot out of a man. Jiraiya's filler and subtext could only drown out so much. Kakashi flipped a page and stifled a giggle; now that was _naughty_. But like most good things that befall upon shinobi, this chapter of Icha Icha would have wait.

The big bad Chunin, Umino Iruka had arrived at his doorstep with a sour look on his scarred face. Come now what did he do to deserve this? You probably wouldn't have guessed but the two stacks of late papers work sitting on Iruka’s desk answered for themselves. He may or may not have forked over six hours of office duty, but Kakashi had a feeling that that wasn't the reason why Iruka was here.  
“Why haven't you dropped by your reports yet? Hatake you are hours behind Schedule!” It was anyone's mistake for expecting better from him, but he admitted the teacher had a point. The test was going by slowly, even for his expectations. “Maa Umino-san I'm finishing up the survival training right now.”  
Just as the Jounin finished his sentence there was a blur of orange, several of them and focused on him. Easily avoiding a number of punches from the hyper blond he maneuvered and blocked his way through the barrage.

Pop.

How the brat learned the _Kage Buishin no Jutsu_ to a working point in hours he'd never know, it required a biblical amount of chakra to make it work as a default technique. A large amount was agiven considering Naruto's heritage, but such large reserves even with a bijū were unheard of. Mind the fact that their knowledge was limited.  
He blocked another furious kick from the last Naruto and was surprised to see that none of the clones were the original. With a heavy sigh he turned back to Iruka who looked at him with a positively malicious expression. Then Iruka exploded.

Shamefully the elite Jounin didn't notice until too late, he got out by the skin of his teeth.

~*~*~

Naruto had to muffle his laughter after a boom echoed through the trees. Sakura was slightly pale as she continued scanning the trees, that was a large explosion. Naruto stopped chuckling in front of her and for a time there was silence save the quiet creak of trees as they combed the forest to find their hidden teammate. She continued a moderate pace until she spotted a blurb of white and red. An Uchiha crest.

Freezing she tugged on Naruto's orange-blue jacket to draw his attention. Sakura received a quizzical look in return from Naruto but her companion stopped his movements. Blue eyes looked into her for a second and the boy seemed to look at something over her shoulder that didn't exist. Her body which had subconsciously coiled up at the eye’s odd half moon pupiles, Sakura unfurle until she again stood at her full height, her hand pointed to Sasuke's position. ' _Oh_ ’ Naruto mouthed, though his eyes were still locked on to something she could not see. Despite his skewed point of focus he was clearly paying attention to the situation at hand. “Let's talk to him.” Sakura uttered quietly.

“ _Okay_.”

~*~*~

They didn't teach academy students how to form solid clones, Uchiha Sasuke knew from experience. He was proudly known as the Genin who held the most potential of his generation, if anyone was going to be taught advanced techniques it would be him. Questions stuck to his mind, the entire test was soured knowing that such a academic disgrace could have even half a leg up on such a honed ninja as he. _'Where did he learn that?’ 'How powerful are solid clones?’ 'Why am I not strong yet?’_

Someone tapped him gently on the shoulder and Sasuke whipped around razor sharp ninja wire and shurikin at the ready.

Only in the place of the Jounin there stood a pink haired girl whose entire body language said that she wanted nothing more than to run from him. Sakura something, a mere girl who rivaled his I.Q. and test scores throughout the academy history. This particular peer was also an avid member of a hoard of women trying to court him through feminine looks. A faint blush coated her pale cheeks, but when she spoke it was in a sure and steady tone. “We have to work together Sasuke-kun.” What a _pathetic_ solution, ninja may have been known to skirt the edge of their own rules but this test was clearly about gauging individual abilities. There was no ‘Partnering Up’ as she implicated. “Maybe you didn't hear the instructor but this is not an activity that centralizes teamwork. Even if I had to work with someone, why would I choose a slower girl with no field experience?” Sasuke turned his back on her and his stubborn dark tresses swayed comedically with the dramatized action. He could have sworn it was just him and his disgrace of a fellow Genin in the clearing he had camped out in but he was proven wrong.

Hanging upside down from a low, sturdy tree branch was the class clown. “Where do you think you are going Teme?” A bony hand with no callouses gripped his arm in a vice grip preventing a black steel kunai from shredding his non existent brain. “...” The Uchiha did not feel he owed this urchin a reply and Sasuke tried without yield to rip his appendage away from Naruto. “We are working together with or without your blessing.”  
“He gets the point Naruto, now let him go.” Sakura interjected into the one sided conversation, and obedient to his favored girl as always Sasuke’s hand went limp as it was released. He flexed his newly freed hand trying to fix the blood flow and also tried in vain to ignore the smile from the blond. Pink lips curled up like any normal face making a broad grin where _black_ gums lined teeth that were more like foxes or dogs than a normal human’s.  
“I'm not working with either of you.” The tone was meant to sound final but seeing two pairs of light eyes beam at him told Sasuke he only added fuel to a very large flame.

“At the very least hear Naruto’s plan!” Haruno Sakura exclaimed boldly. Could he really argue his way out of this? He didn't like to use his words much. “Sasuke, right now you are the fastest and most accurate with weapons of any of us, I have the element of surprise but not the training to hold Kakashi off. If we charge in uncoordinated we will get defeated. What we do have is Sakura-chan.”  
“If I go for the bells while both of you are taking up his attention span then I might be able to snatch both of them.”  
It was a well put together plan as much as he hated to admit it, but Sasuke just couldn't see himself working with these two. Gritting his teeth in annoyance he shot off, he would do this himself. He didn't need help, he will never need them.

As he sped through the canopy of the forest, the open light of the largest clearing on ground seven camp into view and the sandal clad feet resumed a quicker speed. Ninja wire already threaded between his fingers he burst from the surrounding forest and into the sky of the clearing. A disheveled Kakashi sat languidly in a sizeable crater reading a orange book that Sasuke definitely didn't look twice at. Sasuke slid the shurukin through air and missed on purpose.

_Kaaton Gokon no Jutsu_

Heat built in his throat, and his neck was swollen with chakra. The flames licked the back his esophagus and he finally exhaled, energy sparked on the wires and running down the metal thread as the fire ball hurled through air. Sasuke smirked, it felt fantastic to win. Gracefully he landed and peered into a now blackened dent in the earth, rather than seeing his dazed or charred teacher he saw a smoldering log in it's place. A fist nearly hit home on the back of his neck but Sasuke ducked just in time, numerous jabs barraged him but he managed to block. Veering to the side he angled his body into a roundhouse kick which his tormentor predictably dodged, suddenly Kakashi appeared behind him 'How fast is he really, I'm not even winding him. The bastard isn't even trying! I'm not weak.’ Hatake aimed a blow to the back of his head again and there was nothing the Uchiha heir could do to stop it, to think he could be defeated as easy as that. Pathetic.

Sasuke clenched his eyes closed and the time seemed to move at a snail's pace.

“Leave him alone you old man!” In came a bolt of orange and Kakashi was forced to back off as the blur that later revealed itself to be the class dunce aimed a kick at his face. “I don't need your help!” Sasuke screams at the other boy, really he doesn't.

“Maa, I'm not that old…”

Kakashi catches Naruto’s leg and throws him over his shoulder, the idiot landes with a thus giving Sasuke the opening he needed. He'd like to believe it wasn't exclusively pure luck that one of his kicks hit Kakashi in the face. The jaw beneath his heel clicked as it shifted slightly but didn't break. There was a quick poof of chakra smoke and what was apparently another solid clone dispelled. He landed and noticed that Naruto was already on his feet again. Both shifted into battle positions kunai and shuriken at ready- then the bell rang.

How could they have forgotten about the timmer?  
  
~*~*~

Her hair never seemed to blend with the forest (not surprising but still annoying since Naruto could disappear in the middle of street while wearing bright orange), but her eyes did. Two perfect leaf colored rings framing large dark pupils. Those very eyes were trained on her temporary(?) partners in crime. How had Sasuke gotten tied to a post? Naruto had obviously proven himself okay in his technical application of skills but Sasuke was just better. Maybe a day ago that would have been a purposeful insult to Naruto but it was really true she realized. With a taijutsu that suited him perfectly, a library of clan techniques, and the motivation he possessed Sakura doubted anything could stop him. But there he was, tied to a log by the sleaziest elite Jounin in Konohagakure who had poor Naruto by the scruff of his neck. At least her plan had worked well with both her and Naruto playing their roles, a silver bell the size of a small grape rested comfortably on her palm. It was perfectly shined and made of silver which lead her to guess it was from some kind of ornament. ‘How old fashioned, no one wears bells anymore.’ She mused. Sakura leap from her branch and rushed through the forest below, not knowing what would come next.

~*~*~

Naruto couldn't escape and it was setting him slightly on edge, Kurama wasn't helping either but the fox was always paranoid these days for whatever reason. The hand on his neck was a bruising tight grip one could infer that Kakashi didn't take kindly attempts on his life or more importantly, his dignity. “Where’s your teammate?” There's that word again, team. “I wouldn't tell you if I knew where she was anyway.” Naruto yelled at him, Kakashi trains eyes on him. The left one looks like a rich woman’s black pearl compared to a rather normal brown iris on the right, it's not noticeable unless you get up close. Woah, speaking of close the man pulls Naruto up by the back of his neck. For a individual who has so many dogs Kakashi’s breath reeks of fish, Naruto has always liked pork more himself. “Where is she-” the grey haired ninja was interrupted by the sound of a rough landing. There standing only slight disheveled stood Sakura hold a shiny bell by the string, “Leave him alone.”

“I guess Pinky isn't all talk is she? So what are you going to do with that now?” Naruto didn't like that tone of voice but he could hear some tone under it and the man holding him seemed deeply conflicted. “W-what do you mean?” But her teacher didn't answer and Sakura pursed her lips thinking.

Then she smiled a resigned smile and- and she tossed the bell into the small steam letting the little object sink into the depths.

For a second she is still and then she launches into hysterics, “If they fail then I fail too, we are all deserving of victory today,” She shrieked with her hands in fists, “So put him down!” and for the first time that day Kakashi truly admitted defeat. Naruto felt himself get set down gently (who knew the Hatake heir could touch something without bruising it for once) but even so he quickly surged away rubbing his neck. He couldn't trust this man no matter how much he wanted to. Subconsciously he his tongue ran over his sharp teeth mirroring the the satisfied deity who constantly nipped at his mind.

“You all... **pass** …” Kakashi uttered at last. Naruto looked Sakura and she looked back and the ran to each other laughing, “It worked, it worked Naruto! We did it!” the blond’s cheeks are bright pink and his neck is blue and black. He is not used to warm touches or victories but it feels amazing and maybe some months ago he would have been blushing because of some misguided affection for her but now it's just heat of the moment love because they won together. They break apart and look at the Uchiha who is still trapped on the log, ‘Did he really win today?’ they wondered.  
“My parents are probably worried that I'm not home right now, I should be back for dinner.” and her voice lost its confidence and went back to a mild tone as she waved goodbye walking home to a family only she possessed.

Kakashi stands there still and not ready to move and Naruto is left alone with Sasuke and him. There is a cold damp touch on his shoulder and Rin smiles whispering ‘Congratulations,’ before slipping away to hover over his grey haired teacher. A barely noticeable shudder runs along Kakashi’s slumped posture, Naruto sees how he is always on guard, how he thinks there is always something watching him. In this village his teacher probably has a point but right now it is obviously Kakashi can feel the biting winter that comes with ghosts, not that the Jounin would be able to know or see that. There is a single brown eye looking at him, a headband covers the second one the blacky pearly one (it's so deep, deep, deep, like the deep ocean). “You should get going, Naruto.” Says the the man with a head full of grey and he leaves in a moment leaving no trace but churning air. Naruto doesn't want to take the order but he is hungry. Suddenly he sees a glimmer in the water and wouldn't you know, it's that damn bell sitting at the bottom of the crystal clear stream. Yes he is about to leave but there is this heavy feeling in his gut that tells him that this one trivial object might have changed everything for him. So on a whim Naruto dives into the stream and emerges from the sweet tasting spring water with a ring as he holds it between his index finger and his thumb. Frost on his face is curling with glee and he pulls himself out now soaking wet. For a while he just looks at the shiny object and that wild part of him wants to throw it into the air and play with it but he ignores that, Kurama seems disappointed at that.

After however long Uzumaki Naruto looks up and gawks a little dumbfounded and annoyed because there is a pile or ropes at the base or the post, ‘How did he get those knots undone so fast?’ and past the bridge there's the Last Uchiha walking away with his back facing a Naruto. (There is a see through woman with long velvet hair and loving, sad, and angry night colored eyes walking with him but Sasuke can't see that just like he can't see Naruto, just like he _chooses_ not to see Naruto.) It is wrong until it isn't, for no reason at all, the young heir abruptly turns around and looks dead into Naruto’s slitted pupils with his eyes that have too much dark to be natural. Eyes that always look like they are hiding something. Sasuke simply looks back but it seems to go against the boy's very nature, in all the years Naruto has know him he never seemed to look back on his actions. (The night woman sees him too and there is recognition.)

“Let's go Naruto-chan, you did wonderful today.” Paise reaches his ears and there is Mito with her bells polished to a mirror-like silver and Sakumo who has his hand reached out to help Naruto up despite not really being a tangible mass, and even Ai is there looking at him with a wide look holding admiration and something deeper than his light irises.

Home is not in the forest or in Konohagakure, and that is very true, but he makes the most out of what he has been given and the smile he pulls from whiskered cheeks is very much real.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was way to long, for all who choose to read this please know that I don't update regularly. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Shit is going to go down. I mean right now the story's all over the place, hey Sakura and Kakashi are now rivals, here's how ninja ghosts work- WOW! But fear not the chapters will get much- much longer and hopefully clearer.


End file.
